Autopsy Report: Relapse
by Rumer
Summary: Apparently the powers that be aren't quite finished with our favorite forensic pathologist...
1. Prologue

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Autopsy Report: Relapse

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Prologue

~ No sooner spoken than broken. ~

Metal speaks. Each type has its own voice. Some are silent, some are loud; some whisper on their hinges, some shout even when cared for. The metal that surrounded me did none of these things. No, this metal screamed. Fitting, considering that I was in an asylum. Kipling Institute for the Criminally Insane, to be exact. The metal was an exact imitation of the patients the facility housed. But when I heard the bars shriek their song, I knew I was going to have a visitor very soon. Rapture.

It had been a very long time since I'd had another soul for comfort. Well, aside from the crazy people, that is. Sadly, they aren't as helpful or as consoling as a sane person. But hey, you take whatever company you can get in this place. Why? Because any wacko would be a much more welcome companion than my current bunkmate: sheer silence. That was all I'd been hearing for a while, besides my own thoughts, and believe me, nothing magnifies unpleasantness than silence. All the other inmates had either been released or moved elsewhere in the "hospital", so I was all that was left in these catacombs. Solitary confinement, bah. I felt like a rabid dog. Who knows, maybe that was how they saw me. Me, little old Kira? Mad? Surely not. But tell that to the judge who put me here. Better yet, tell the people who started the whole thing in the first place. They could use a bit of education in more ways than one.

Footsteps added themselves to the screams of the metal. It was a clicking sort of step, made by the shoes of either a politician or a lawyer. They have hard heels, unbefitting a man or woman with a tenderfoot disposition. And anyone dealing in any sort of bureaucracy is usually a long way from tenderfoot. I knew that for a fact. The clacks echoed down the corridor, getting closer, and drawing to a halt right outside my cell. Looked like I would be getting visitors after all.

"Kira T. Devereaux?" The voice was male, dripping with order and militaristic snap. I disregarded the formality of the greeting. It had been so long since I'd heard my name- hell, heard another person speak, that I let it slide. See, I can be lenient when I want to be.

"I'm not a doctor anymore?" I smiled to myself. "Surely they don't revoke title as well as dignity when they commit you." Naturally, the first person I talked to in over two years would be greeted by my signature sarcasm. The speaker seemed to be unfazed, as evidenced by his curt reply.

"_Dr_. Kira T. Devereaux, then. I'm here to tell you that you have been summoned to a court hearing…" a sense of unease seeped into his tone, "…concerning your release." I arched an eyebrow.

"Me? Court? Release? My my. I wonder, why the change of mind?"

"I can't tell you that." More curtness. 'Strict orders, miss. If I told you, I'd have to kill you', and all that jazz. Understandable. I waved my hand lazily.

"I know, I know…it's about Silent Hill, isn't it?"

A stunned silence greeted my ears. Normally, I would have grinned at it; A-ha, I caught him off guard, point for me. But quiet had been my constant companion for two years, so I found myself mentally begging him to speak again. When he finally found his voice, I sighed inwardly with relief.

"…Yes. Please come with me." Bars squealed in their metallic agony as they rolled back for the first time in months. I rolled to the side of the cot I lay upon and sat up, legs dangling over the side, my bare feet touching the floor. Damn, the tile was cold. But in spite of the icy sensation creeping through my feet, I let a harsh laugh escape me.

"Pathetic…going back to the one they themselves condemned." I stood up and walked to the now open cell door, to freedom at last. A smirk played across my lips. 

"Oh, this is going to be fun."

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A/N: Hey, all! 

Now, before you get too excited, let me explain something. Today is the day that Silent Hill 3 goes out on the market. *flags and trumpets and stuff* I wrote this a couple months ago, and it's terribly relieving to finally be able to post it. 

Now, there's always a 'but', and here's mine: I may be pressed for playing time, so posts will be slightly erratic. I'll be playing off and on, assuming I can wangle a copy from Blockbuster or something. Worst comes to worst, I'll be a dirty little cheater and find a player's guide. I'll do it anyway, but…hey, that may be a better idea. I'll do that. Oh, and reviews are always incentive for me to hurry my ass up. 

Remember…patience is a virtue. Coming after the author with torches and pitchforks isn't. ^_^;;; 

Pax!

~Rumer

Reviews=More chapters! Come on, kids, you know the drill…^_^


	2. Chapter 01: Easier Said Than Done

A/N: *suddenly blasted off feet by all the feedback* O_O *hits the far wall with a dull THUD* …x_x

Good God, I didn't realize you all have been waiting as anxiously as you have…I cry your pardon, sais…Seriously, I'm stunned at the amount of response I've gotten with just the prologue. My ego's gone up a few notches. I'm glad to see that you're all still with me, and ready to get this show out of the ditch and back on the road. Look out pedestrians, here we come.

Bat Thingy: Oh, I'm hurt. Here, in my heart. Not usually my most vulnerable spot. Indeed, I am shocked at the little faith you have in me. You see, I am the ALL POWERFUL AUTHOR!!! And I can use the mighty power of LOOPHOLES! MUAHAHAHAHA!!! *power trips and falls flat on her face* …Seriously, you don't think I'm unprepared, do you? Trust me…there _is_ a method to my madness…

gyperfan: Well, that was hardly necessary. I believe it is the _author_'s job to answer questions and justify accusations, and when necessary, provide reassurance. You keep to your affairs, sai, and leave mine to me.

Betty Boop: Muahaha…I've turned another to the Dark Side…yep, Edward's great. Asher and Jason are worth mentioning, too. Good stuff, that…

Myhrr: It's official. Good ideas are contagious. Sure, post your story. But if it seems TOO much like mine…prepare to hear about it. And I am very verbal. ^_^

Emerald Embers: …now THAT'S what I call true enthusiasm.

Raven: I see you've identified my trump card. My method of cheating, I suppose. Not to worry, I've got a few new tricks up my sleeve this time around.

Karolin: O_o…erm…Oh, look at the time!!! Time for me to go write the story! *dashes off at a much faster rate than normal*

Right then, here we go...Sorry for the short chapter, but bear with me…School is taking its toll, and I figured I'd give you at little more at least for all your support. Sue me for thinking of my fans. ^_^; Well, kids, buckle your seat belts and hang on to your hats, because the ride's about to start. …Again. To-…*rolls eyes, waves a hand and walks off*

Cheers,

~Rumer ("I'm away laughing on a fast camel.")

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Relapse: Chapter One

If you'd have told me at 7 AM today that I'd be out on the street wearing a pressed suit and smelling like a free woman by dinnertime, I'd have laughed in your face and called you and imbecile. Well, here I was, sitting in a pine-scented interior of a Mitsubishi Eclipse, wearing clothes fit for a queen (well, a lawyer, maybe; close enough), with high heels no less and marveling at my previous attitude. Well, just call ME a liar. Part of me wanted to know why they wanted me back. Part of me didn't care. I was glad to be out of that den of mental anguish. There is one thing I will say about my stint in a mental institution: I'm leaving it off my vacation itinerary next year.

The man who had come to fetch me from the Tomb had slid into the driver's seat and didn't say another word. So much for small talk. I always liked the strong, silent type. Once you get them talking, you'd be surprised at the stories they tell. But this one in particular didn't seem much for small talk. I shrugged it off and concentrated on the man seated in front of me in the passenger seat, and the man sitting beside me. The former was Dr. Elwood Lecter, my former superior and near confidant. Good guy, maybe a little addled at times, but a good guy nonetheless. The latter was a man named Dr. Jay Haley, supervising doctor of the institution. Both of them had given their all to help me when I needed them, especially in my last little misadventure. And in spite of what the media said about my apparent lack of emotion, I couldn't help but grin when I saw the pair. Take THAT, CNN. However, they didn't seem incredibly enthused about seeing me again. Come on, you're meeting an old friend who just happens to be a convicted murderer! What's not to be excited about?

"So," Elwood said flatly. The tone didn't suit his nature. "I guess you've been told why you've been released."

"Actually, Elwood," I said sweetly, "I figured it out for myself. Our driver isn't much for details, so it seems." The driver cocked his head slightly, almost resonant of a dog listening to a high-pitched sound. It fit.

"That's Dr. Lecter to you, Dr. Devereaux. At least for now. Formality would do you some good in this situation." His voice had become bladelike: sharp, cold, and something you wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of. I've had my share of those tones in my life, one of them belonging to the judge who sentenced me. I knew better than to argue when people used THAT voice.

"As you like, Dr. Lecter." Elwood turned his face fully around, and this time, there was a ghost of a smile lingering on his lips.

"But goddamn…it's good to see you, Kira." I smiled back.

"Likewise."

Jay cleared his throat. I turned to look at him, and Elwood's gaze drifted back to the road.

"I figure you're in need of some answers, Dr. Devereaux."

I snickered. "Answers are what got me into your humble abode, Dr. Haley. Though I guess coming from you, they're safe enough. I'm all ears."

Jay rolled his eyes and turned his attention to a small manila folder resting on his lap. He opened it and ruffled through the pages until he found the one he wanted. "It basically says that you've been summoned to an appeal tomorrow at 8:00 AM sharp." He closed the folder and handed it to me. I took it.

"But why?" I asked, leafing through the folder's contents. Forms, forms, forms, blah. Lots of legal junk. Me no speak-o Lawyer-ese. "I mean, I won't have been released just because people are getting antsy about the past, right?"

"Kira, since you've been gone, there's been hardly anything happening," Elwood said over his shoulder. "A couple natural death cases, but nothing other than that. In two years, there have been a total of four needed autopsies. Four. While you were working, we had nearly triple that amount for a single year."

"Won't that mean I'm a jinx or something?" I arched an eyebrow. "More people to dissect while I'm there. Great. But the fact is, the people I dissected it needed it. I wouldn't call that a great thing. And you know that I'm not in anything for the money. Maybe you guys are, but that's you. Point being, why care about someone you condemned just because you've been having a drought of corpses?"

"Let me finish," Elwood said patiently. "In the past two weeks, we've had more corpses than those two years combined. And not just humans, mind you…" he leaned backwards slightly, "…but animal corpses as well."

"I'm not a veterinarian, Elwood. I'm waiting for the real reason."

Elwood turned back around, clearly at a loss for words. It irked me. He could spout off all this other bullshit, but he couldn't give me a real answer. What a guy. Jay cleared his throat. Yea, Jay! Give me some REAL information! 

"…Frankly, Kira, you're out because someone ASKED for you to be out. Appealed directly. Went through a whole lot of trouble for you, Kira."

Well, that was interesting. It must have showed. "Who asked for me? Unless I was voted 'Scapegoat of the Month' in Time Magazine and the press want pictures, I don't know of anyone who'd even consider my release."

"It just so happens that one of the corpses had a daughter. The corpse was tied to you somehow. The girl was looking through her dad's old stuff and she found your name. So you could say she's curious, and I can't blame her for being so. Can you?"

Not really. I shook my head. "So, does my savior have a name?"

Jay gestured to the folder. "Her name should be on the first paper in there." I looked, and sure enough, there it was, in big bold letters:

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HEATHER MASON

Well, shit. I was going to meet the daughter of someone who apparently didn't exist, and who just happened to be the one who saved me from my previous situation. I didn't know whether to be grateful or scared out of my wits. Hooray for multitasking.

Before I got the chance to retrieve my jaw from the floor, the car rolled to a stop. Elwood and Jay got out, and I followed suit. I found myself looking at the tall, white pillars of the courthouse. God, it had been a while since I'd seen those columns. I stared at the ivory whiteness of the structure, wondering to myself if it had been so beautiful and yet so condemning the last time I'd seen it. I decided that they'd renovated in my absence.

Elwood came around the side, took my arm at the elbow, and led me up the marble steps. I took a deep breath, trying to ease the butterflies spasming in my stomach. One thing I'd learned in all my years was to not let the butterflies loose in your stomach. Make them fly in formation. But as I crossed the threshold, I had a sinking feeling that one or all of them were going to go kamikaze on me. I hate that feeling. But it's better than sheer horror, or even worse, the feeling of being absolutely alone. I'd felt that for too long. So, all things considered, I straightened up and kept walking down the tiled halls. The worst they could do was send me back to that hellhole. Nothing to worry about, I'd been there, done that. I'd be perfectly cool, calm, and collected. No sweat.

"We're here," Elwood whispered. He reached for the brass door handle, and I looked up at the name on the door. JUDGE EDWARD BOWEN was etched into the fine mahogany. I felt myself began to shake. My reserve went out the window, and I nearly collapsed from nervousness.

Cool and collected, huh?

Easier said than done.


End file.
